AP Psychology: Unit 3 Vocab – Flashcards

a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impules as the impulse hops from one node to the next

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. The tiny gap at this junction is called the _____ gap or _____ cleft

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

a neurotransmitter's reabsorption by the sending neuron

"morphine within"--natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

the body's speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

the brain and the spinal cord

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body

bundled axons that form neural "cables" connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles. Also called the skeletal nervous system.

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

the body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress

the endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the _____ regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

tissue destruction; a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

a series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves

a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. Shows brain function.

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the _____ is responsible for automatic survival functions

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance

doughnut-shaped neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives the sensory input for touch and body position

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding)

controls language expression--an area, usually in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech

controls language reception--a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe

the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

the formation of new neurons

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemisphers by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior

every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein

the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes

twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically indentical organisms

twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.

the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The _____ of a trait may vary

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)

the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles on natural selection

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those that lead to increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

a random error in gene replication that leads to a change